Russian Border Guards Withdraw from Zvartnots Airport
On Wednesday, Russia completed the withdrawal of its border guards from Yerevan's Zvartnots International Airport. This process began months ago when the Armenian authorities submitted a formal request to the Russian side.
For decades, Russian border guards worked at the airport alongside their Armenian counterparts. However, earlier this year, the Armenian government announced that the Armenian side now possesses sufficient experience and technical capabilities to carry out border control independently.
An official ceremony took place on August 14, during which the protocol for the handover of duties was signed. Representatives from Armenia and Russia thanked each other for their long-term cooperation. Now, only Armenian border guards will serve at all checkpoints of the airport.
This change is a significant milestone for Armenia in strengthening control over its own infrastructure. Despite departing from the airport, Russian border guards continue to monitor Armenia's borders with Turkey and Iran.